AP bypolls: CPI to support Telangana candidates

Hyderabad: In a setback to the TDP, the CPI on Wednesday decided to support the TRS in five of the seven Assembly constituencies, where bypolls will be held on March 18.

Of the seven assembly seats, six are in Telangana while
the other (Kovur) is in coastal Andhra Pradesh.

CPI State Secretary K Narayana said his party would
support the sitting TDP MLA Nagam Janardhan Reddy who quit in
support of separate Telangana and is seeking re-election from
Nagarkurnool.

He said the party decided to support the TRS candidates
and Reddy in the seats in Telangana region as they quit their
posts in support of separate statehood demand.

In Kovur, the CPI would support the CPI(M) candidate in
the interest of the Left unity.

TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao thanked the CPI for
supporting his party`s nominees.

TRS as well as TDP have sought the cooperation of CPI in
the bypolls.

The TRS president went to the CPI office here yesterday
and met the party`s leaders like State Secretary K Narayana.
Rao said he proposed to work together with CPI.

Meanwhile, senior TDP leader T Devender Goud and others
also met the CPI leaders and sought their cooperation in the
bypolls. TDP and CPI have been allies for long.

CPI, which supports separate Telangana demand, has
considerable presence in the state. But the Left party is not
inclined to contest the bypolls and its support may help the
contesting parties.

Bypolls have been necessitated in Adilabad, Kollapur,
Nagarkurnool, Station Ghanpur and Kamareddy due to the
resignation of sitting members in support of Telangana
statehood demand. The sitting MLA died in Mahabubnagar.

The sitting TDP MLA of Kovur quit in support of Kadapa MP
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy which caused the bypoll.